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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the lady in orange do at the end of Poem Four?

2. What are the stage directions for all of the characters on stage at the end Poem Six?

3. Which character(s) run off the stage after the start of Poem Seven?

4. In Poem Six, which character says, "pin-ups attached to the insides of his lapels"?

5. When the other character's speak in Poem Two, what do they comment on?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the playwright use music in the play?

2. How does the language change at the end of Poem Nineteen? At what point at the end of the play does the language change?

3. What does the lady in blue talk about in Poem Fifteen?

4. Describe the language and imagery in Poem Two.

5. What is the theme of Poem Three? How is this a theme of the poem?

6. Describe the poetic imagery in Poem Seven.

7. How are the poems in Sequence Two linked to each other?

8. Describe Poem Four.

9. How is dance used in Poem Four?

10. What does the final dance represent?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Although the majority of the characters in the playare African American, the narrator does choose to include a character of African and Latin American roots in poem three. Why do you think the author included this character? How does she change the dynamics of the play? What is significant about this character? Please use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

The play describes urban African American life. Why do the women in the play not live in the cities, but "outside" of the cities? How does this relate to the theme of freedom? Please use specific examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

As the individual women tell where they are located at the start of the play, they bring universality to the script. How does the playwright use the characters to bring universality to the script and show that women like the ones in the play are everywhere? Please use specific examples from the book.

(see the answer keys)

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